The Devil's Heart
by eternallypeaceful
Summary: The small town of Mortin was Gabriella's haven from the hell called Albuquerque. But when the devil himself, Troy Bolton, show's up in heaven, her perfect summer takes a giant turn and suddenly she finds herself right in the middle of the devil's heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Note to self: be nice to keyboard. If you don't already know, I have done this before, the writing thing I mean, and I have destroyed way too many keyboards for a lifetime. So, I'm going to be a tiny bit gentler this time. I'll tell you how that works out for me. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own high school musical or any of its original characters, hence I am sitting in a house, not a mansion, and typing this up on a laptop, not well-anything else. **

**Author's Note: In most good stories, you connect with the characters and fall in love with the characters, and then watch their journey. I'm going to warn you, in this story you're not going to be doing that. Well, you'll fall in love with Gabriella and you'll love her but you'll probably not know as much of the other characters to fall in love with them. What I'm trying to say is, this story is in first person. **

**You'll probably also find out that this particular plot has already had a presence on fanfiction. No worries, I am really good friends the author of the story and she gave me her permission and blessing to re-write it. It's not going to be entirely the same. But yeah, we'll figure it out. **

**Anyway, you read the preview and came here, now here's the story. Here goes: **

There is something about the shimmering florescence of those underwater lights and a summer night sky that drags me to the pool every year at night on the last day of school. You can say that my life is a living hell. I don't like to think about it. Especially now, since my living hell is just about behind me for the next three months. I am going to my safe haven. My brainwash center, so to speak. The little town of Morton, Washington is where I was supposed to be born but God had made the biggest mistake of the century and put me in Albuquerque. Apparently, the universe has a sense of humor.

It's quiet in the resort. The employees of Lava Springs only see me once a year because I'm not a fan of becoming my step-sister's humble servant if she ever sees me here during the daytime. Needless to say, this was Sharpay's territory and I wasn't welcome. To her, at least. The other employees will smile when they see me; we would chit chat a little and then I would get changed for a refreshing dip in the pool. I have been continuing the tradition since middle school. At first, Mr. Fulton would stay in the building until I left and escort my sixth grade self safely back home. Three years later, I got my license and Mr. Fulton trusted me with the spare key to the place. Mr. Fulton is my step-father's right hand man. Like the rest of Lava Springs, I see him seldom but he's been nicer to me on the one day that I see him than anyone else has over the past years in Albuquerque. It's hard not to be nice to me after my mother died six years ago.

I submerged myself deeper into the water, closing my eyes so that all my senses focus on the feeling of the water surrounding me. Slowly, a foggy memory creeps up on me. It's of my mother bringing me here as a mere four year old. I used to be afraid of the water so I hung on to my mother's neck as she walked into deeper parts of the pool.

"_Estás bueno, mija" her angelic voice cooed in Spanish as I whimpered in her arms. "Estoy aquí" My confidence grew slowly. My mother had taken us to a part of the pool where I could stand on the floor of the pool and the water would be up to my nonexistent bosom. _

_About an hour later, I had played and splashed in the water with my mother up until the point where I didn't want to leave. My mother, on the other hand, whisked me away from the pool and set me standing on the hot cement. _

"_Esperame" she told me as she left to get a towel for me. Curious, I took baby steps to the very edge of the pool. Without thinking, I jumped in again. I had willingly leaped into the 7 feet end of the pool to my horror. When I surfaced, I didn't have enough time to scream and let someone know that I was drowning. I thrashed around in the water, punching and kicking hoping that something will help me stay afloat. But, my body was getting tired and I could feel it. The next thing I remember is coughing up burning water and looking into the eyes of a blue eyed stranger. _

"_Can you hear me?" this man said. "You're okay now, honey. Don't worry" he reassured. _

"_Gabriella!" My mother was at a distance but I could hear the gut-wrenching terror in her voice. My head turned instinctively. _

"_Mi amor, mi hija" she repeated as my mother sprinted to my weak body until she hovered above me. "Qué pasó?" she caressed my face, a tear in her eye. _

"_Your daughter is okay, now. She might need some rest though" the man who had saved me said. _

"_Qué?" she questioned. English was completely foreign to my mother at the time. Her look was desperate and searching for a translation in his eyes. _

"_Oh" he hesitated, understanding the dilemma. "Su hija está bueno. Necesitar -oh shit, how do you say rest?" He stopped his broken Spanish and looked down at me, as if I was strong enough to answer him. He gave up and started to use hand motions. He clasped his hands together, put them under his right cheek, and said "rest". _

_Thankfully, my mother understood. "Está bueno? Sí?" He knew this one. _

"_Sí." _

_My mother gasped in relief, taking his hand and kissing it several times. "Gracias, Señor! Un mil gracias!" _

_The man chuckled. "Denada. Uh, me llamo Noah. Y tú?" _

"_Sí, me llamo Maria y esta es Gabriella" she put a hand on my shoulder. _

"_It's nice to meet you, Maria" he put a hand out for my mother to shake. Not knowing what to do with it, she just left it there. _

"_Sí". _

"_Mamá?" I croaked for her attention and she gave it to me. _

As the memory faded I recalled the result of my mother and Noah meeting. It was the start of a love story. My mother found him many times at stores, where she worked and picking me up from kindergarten. Finally, he asked her out on a date, which I had to translate to her. She accepted. Two weeks later, she met his daughter and son. A year later, they were married and six years later, my mother died in a hit and run car accident.

Noah was a young lifeguard at Lava Springs at the time. After he and my mother got married and couple business deals later, he owned the resort and turned it into what it is today. I knew he loved my mother very much, as my mother did him. They both tried their hardest to blend me into the family but somehow I got left out. My mother was my only link to Noah Evans and his family. When the link disappeared, there was no connection at all. When I was younger, Noah was as much a father to me as he was to his own children but once my mother died, he drowned himself in work and he missed seeing his children growing up for the past six years.

Sharpay, her brother Ryan and I are all seventeen now. Sharpay and Ryan lived life luxuriously through their father's well earned money. I was grateful that Noah kept me in his household so I didn't ask for more.

Noah did notice that after my mom died I was having a hard time in school and at home. A couple weeks after the accident, he booked a ticket to my grandmother's place in Washington and that was the first summer I traveled to my grandparent's house for the summer. Ever since, Morton was my home.

It would be nice to say that nobody sees me at school because everybody does. They all see me as the poor girl who when she lost her mother, she lost everything. There are brave ones however, who don't see me as the poor girl. They don't know me as the one that lost her mother but they do know me as harmless. So, the mess with me and bully me. And, I put up with it. After all, it doesn't matter what happens in Albuquerque as long as I go back home every year.

I hold my breath under water until all my grievances fade away. They didn't matter. Nothing mattered now. Tomorrow morning I am on a straight flight to Washington and I won't look back until September. As my head surfaced again, I decided to depart the pool. It was midnight and I still needed to pack a couple of my things. I lifted myself out of the pool and headed the locker rooms again.

After changing, I walked slowly toward my car. It used to be my mother's. I convinced Noah to keep it and that I will pay for its checkups and repairs. He did, reluctantly.

Once inside, I had to turn the key twice for the engine to roar alive. It was a cool Albuquerque night so I left my window open and drove home. As I approached, the lights in the house were still on and I could hear music blasting. Of course. Sharpay's annual last day of school party.

I can't believe I forgot. It's the biggest party of the school year. I parked the car in the old garage and entered the house through the back door. Obviously the music was melting my ears. I spotted Ryan in the kitchen, a cup in his hands.

"Hey Gabriella!" he yelled. "Aren't you supposed to be in Wyoming?"

"Washington. And no, not until tomorrow" I responded, trying to make myself audible.

"What?"

"I am going to Washington tomorrow!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs.

"I can't hear you! The music's too loud!" he gestured with his hands as he said it. I didn't bother saying anything else so I just turned and left.

"Bye! Have fun in Wyoming!" was the last thing he said to me.

Rolling my eyes, I climbed the stairs up to my room. There were people talking above the music, some were eating one thing or the other and some were challenging the amount of PDA needed to be seen by the public. Not to mention, the majority of people dancing crazily in the living room. I dodged all of them until I reached the serenity of my room which was unfortunately occupied also. I groaned, my head swing back in frustration. I scanned downstairs, wondering where Sharpay was to see if she can give me hand. As I placed my hand on the door knob, I bit my lip hard, contemplating the consequences of what I was about to do.

"_Oh, Troy" _someone inside moaned. _"You're so…" _I winced, walking away. Like I said, there are brave ones who think I'm harmless.

Folding my arms, I looked down on the party from a small indoor balcony. Obviously, I was afraid. Troy Bolton was my designated tormenter. And I, his tormentee. _What are you thinking about? _A voice inside my head scolded. _You're not going to see him this summer. He's probably too drunk to remember anything in the morning. Just go inside and kick him out, _my mind coaxed. My stomach dropped at the idea. Kick him out? Just like that? _Just like that_ the voice repeated.

I took a deep breath and turned around, a new energy burning inside me. It must have been the excitement of tomorrow that leads me to do much more than just kick them out.

I banged the door with my hand hard. "Guys, quick! It's the police!" I yelled feigning a frantic voice.

It took at least five seconds to process.

"Fuck" I heard Troy swear from inside following a series of other misused words.

Immediately, I jump out of the doorway and stuck myself against the wall behind the door. It sprung out against my toes, giving them a definite bruise. Two half naked people emerged from the door and sprinted down the hallway, looking for no signs that it was a joke. I suppressed a giggle as they stormed down the stairs, their clothes held to their chests.

Without giving them a chance to come back, I snuck inside my room and locked it shut. Instantly I noticed that my bed sheets were mess and an amount of dinner came back to my throat. I reached into my closet and brought out a spare white sheet. After spreading it over the comforter and pillows, I collapsed the two hours swim coming back to me in fatigue. Tomorrow was awaiting me and I couldn't wait to get there.

* * *

><p>"We will miss you, sweets" Gladys, Sharpay's hired nurse said. I raised my eyebrows at her.<p>

"Okay, _I_ will miss you. It won't be nice for me to handle the Evans children without someone else there" she complained.

I give her a smile this time. "I'll miss you too Gladys" I put my arms around her pleasantly and pressed my cheek to hers.

"Are you sure you want to go there? Washington is horrible this time of the year. Honestly, it's never sunny there, it just keeps raining"

I rolled my eyes and let my head drop to the side as she said this. Ever year she'll say the same thing.

"I am sure I want to go ,Gladys" this stops her. I'm still tired from last night. The residue from the party was horrible to look at. And Gladys can tell.

"Alright. Well, you better be taking yourself well up there. Don't play in the rain too often, you get pneumonia and don't stay out the sun too long, you'll get sunburned" she warned.

"I will" I told her.

A voice cackled through the speakers of the airport. "We will now be boarding the first class seat 1-4 for flight A348 at gate N5".

I looked up and behind me toward the couple of people who were walking toward the gate. "That's me" I tell Gladys. I kiss her quickly on the cheek and squeeze her hand.

"Take car, honey" she says and waves sweetly goodbye as I step backward.

I don't say anything else to Gladys before I turn around and head towards the gate like the others.

As I drag my bag and shuffle down the tunnel, I think about last night. I wonder if Troy got home without realizing that the interruption last night was a joke. My heart races a little when I think that he might've figured out that it was a joke and found that it was me who initiated it. I bite my lip and reassure myself that he won't find me 1,000 miles away.

I found my seat easily upon boarding the plane and tucked my baggage away under the seat. I popped my headphones on and gazed outside. The sun is just rising. It's overcast but I can see sun rays darting against the windows of the building.

At least fifteen minutes later, I watch the plane lift off into the sky. As soon as I was in the air, my shoulders relaxed and a sense of relief engulfed me. Slowly, I pushed down on a button and my seat reverted into a bed. Thanks to Noah, my ticket was expense-free. He insisted to my grandparents and if it meant a guaranteed trip to Washington every year then I honestly could not refuse.

Three hours later, my flight arrived in Sea-Tac Airport. It was sprinkling down rain from very large gray clouds when I walked the terminal to the baggage claim. _Typical_ I thought to myself. At baggage claim, after hauling my suitcase from the conveyor belt, I propped myself up on a chair to search for my grandmother. A new type of energy coursed through my veins. I was excited to get this summer started.

"Gabriella!" a mature voice called out to me and my head sprung in the direction of it. A huge grin splattered on my face when I saw an elderly, tall, loving woman. I squealed, a flourish blossoming in my chest. Like a little girl, I ran to my grandmother and let her surround me with her arms.

"Oh, mi hija, I missed you so much this year" she says into my ear. I take in her soft scent of roses deeply and close my eyes. She is an old woman, but she's my pillar. Everything about her is like my own mother. As long as she's there, I will never forget what my mother was like.

My grandmother guided me to her truck and both of us climbed into the front seats. It was a rusty old truck, faded from the vibrant blue it was when my grandfather was young. As soon as the engine turned on, a soft tune erupted from the speakers. Grandma turned the volume down and grinned at me.

"Tell me, hija, how are you?" she asked lovingly.

I smiled back at her, "I'm good, abuela".

"How is school been treating you?" she added.

"Just fine"

I look away. My grandmother knows that I don't like school at all. She doesn't know, however, the extent of how much I don't like it. The highway is wide as my grandmother's truck rumbles south toward Morton. Washington is known for its green-ness but a lot of those extremely tall, skinny trees are centrally located in the north western region. There is plenty of farm land here also. It's not flat farmland, but still.

Three hours later, the sky is gleaming red. We drove past the rain about forty minutes ago and suddenly came to a break in the clouds. We were also going excitingly near to home.

"Your abuelo has been working so hard on the house ever since it started to rain a little bit less" grandma said to me as we neared the old house that they lived in. "He installed a brand new dishwasher in the kitchen around March and ever since he's been working on the new porch out back".

"He isn't working too hard is he?" I ask, slightly concerned. As much as they would like to think it opposite, my grandparents were getting really old.

"Oh, no dear. He says he doesn't mind the extra work" she says cheerfully. She turns into our gravel driveway and stops underneath a separate garage.

"Alright" I accept.

When she stops the engine, we both exit the car, me stopping for my luggage, and then enter the house. It's a one floor house. Once entered, the floor is tile, a dark green shade. To the right, there is a doorway to the kitchen and right across from the front door is a rather large living room. The place has a theme of green including the carpet and furniture. To the left as a hallway. At your first right in the hallway there is a thin wooden door to the closet, then is the first bathroom. Across from the bathroom is my bedroom. This room is a shade of blue but on one wall my grandmother and I ricocheted tiny balloons of paint two years ago so now, there are splatters of bright colors on the wall. At the end of the hallway, is my grandparent's room and neighboring that is a guest bedroom. The house lacks space for one extra arm other than us, but nonetheless it's home.

A smell filtered through my nose as soon as I stepped into the building. It warmed my heart, as if the vital organ had been locked up in an icebox the past year. The first thing I saw was abuela's newest creation. She was an art teacher at the local high school in Morton just two years ago before her retirement. This time, my grandmother had painted a sunset with lively colors streamed across the canvas.

"Wow, abuela, you've really out done yourself this time!" I appreciate, excitedly. She was already in the kitchen.

"I hope she has!" an old man's voice cackled. "That took nearly all over winter and it left a horrible smell while at it"

"Abuelo!" I cry and duck into his embrace. He is an extremely tight hugger, with hard pats on the back.

"There's my sweet hija" he said into my ear. When he pulled back he looked me up and down.

"Ay, you have grown sweetheart! Hope those boys aren't giving you too much trouble!" he jammed a finger into my side. I laughed. He was joking, of course.

"No, papi. They're staying away from me" I told him, being honest.

"That's because they know you still have a healthy abuelo to beat them up!" I laughed again.

"That's exactly why" I tell him and he gives me a toothy grin.

"How was your flight, mija?" he asked, leading to me to the kitchen.

"Too long" I yawned, leaning into my grandfather.

"How 'bout you sit yourself down here" he pulled out a chair for me from the kitchen table. "and I'll give you a nice snack to cheer you up".

I grinned at him as he shuffled a bag of his own cooked potato chips into a plate in front of me. My grandfather was a chef at _Las Margaritas, _a restaurant that is probably the closest thing to fine dining in Morton. It was the one place to go for every celebration: birthdays, weddings, graduations, anniversaries. And, my grandfather is the chef. The restaurant is closed for the summer for reconstruction so now, my grandfather has submitted to feeding my mother and me during the next two months and rebuilding the whole house and fixing everything that squeaks.

I munched happily with my grandparents watching me with delighted eyes. They asked me questions in between mouthfuls rounds about school and Noah. My parents had only seen Noah twice and that was at my mother's wedding and her funeral. They asked about him often, wondering how he was doing now that my mother was gone. I couldn't answer much, mostly because I didn't know much.

After my grandparents had filled me up with good old carbohydrates, I dismissed myself to go to the restroom and take a shower. I still smelled annoyingly of chlorine from last night and I was itching to get the stench off of me. Once inside the bathroom and naked, I slipped inside the shower. Almost as immediately as the hot water sprayed my body, a wave of sleepiness washed over me. The three hours of sleep I got last night, from after the party had faded into the occasional violent thumping to the time I had to get up to catch my plane, were not sufficient. I almost dizzied myself right in the bathtub. My grandmother's knocking startled me just in time.

"Gabriella, it is the Caton family's turn to host the summer harvest party today. Should head over there soon. We don't want to be late"

I groaned. The summer harvest party wasn't really a harvest party; it just celebrated that summer is finally here and the rain would go away for only about a week. My grandparent's and the Catons would alternate years to host the party. The Catons were the sweetest elderly couple I've ever seen, aside from my own grandparents, but their grandkids were way too young for me to relate to. Last year, I was their designated baby-sitter and it did not go so well, let's say.

"Ugh, do I have to? Can't I just stay home" I complained while lapping soap suds over my skin.

"Stop whining, dear. Taylor will be there, she's home from her father's last hospital visit" I immediately brightened up. Even though it's very unoriginal, my sweet little Morton came with my very own best friend.

Unlike my grandparents, Taylor knew everything about me, even about the people at school. She knew that they weren't the nicest and she knew how much Morton mean to me. If there was anyone I had to trust my life with, if my grandparents had gotten some sort of disease that loses their memory, I would go to Taylor, no questions asked.

I freshened myself up in the bathroom and left smelling like fresh lavender with only a towel on. It seemed that my grandparents already got a head start on walking to the Caton's house. I stepped a white long skirt once inside my room and pulled a blue tank top over my head. It was warm outside now but I was 100 percent sure that it would get chilly by the night. I grabbed a sweater from my suitcase, thrashing my room with random clothes in the meantime. I pinned wet my hair into a half up-do, getting it temporarily out of my face.

I was out of the house with the key in my hand in the next ten minutes. The Caton's house was just about a five minute walk from my grandparent's. I can kick a rock from my house to theirs and not get bored of it the whole time. The road was old, cracked in some places making it impossible to drive over without hiccupping too many times. One year, the city council wanted to fix it, seeing as it is the main road of the city, but instead they left it as it is hoping that it would slow down the frequent drunk that sped across this street.

At last, when I reached the potluck it was already bustling with people. No one would miss this one, or any of the annual parties because even though it was no place for unruly teenagers to spend the first night of their summer, the food was amazing. I expect that my grandfather's recipes will make up half the menu.

"Gabriella!" I searched for the mouth of the voice that called me. My eyes landed on a waving elderly woman. "Oh, my, you have grown so much this year!" Mrs. Caton told me. Her soft hazel eyes settled into mine welcomingly. She held my hands with her aged ones.

"Hi, Mrs. Caton" I greet politely. "It's good to see you again"

"It's nice to see you too, Gabriella. So you're done with your junior year, now, honey?" she asked.

I nodded. She continued, "Oh, that's wonderful. You're already so grown up…off to college in a year" she hummed. My mind hummed along with her. The idea of college was so far away to me right now.

"Listen, you enjoy yourself tonight and I'll see you around town later. Okay?" She bid me farewell.

"Yes, Mrs. Caton" I agreed. I scanned the party for a lovely dark girl. I called out to Mrs. Caton again, "Sorry, did you see Taylor anywhere around here?" I asked.

Her mouth formed an 'o' shape. "Oh, sweetie, she called from Seattle yesterday and said she won't be able to make it. The hospital is keeping ol' Bill tied to his bed"

I sighed, sulking a just a bit. "Alright"

"I'm sorry, dear. My nephew just flew in this morning. I'm sure he's around here somewhere looking for something to do to. I'm sure he'll love you" her voice trailed off.

I sighed again and scanned the party again as if Taylor would magically appear. Mrs. Caton patted my on the shoulder and left to find her nephew for me. I pursed my lips and hung my arms from my shoulders, bored.

There was another tap on my shoulder and I turned around. It was Mrs. Caton again. Her face was bright and happy, now.

"Gabi, dear, this is my nephew"

I looked up to the grown boy that her arm was attached to. Suddenly, my mind reeled as a pair of electrifying blue eyes stung mine. Just like that, I saw my whole, relaxing summer snatched away from my grasp. It was Troy Bolton.

He stared back at me with a smirk playing in his eyes. Mrs. Caton smiled at us caringly, not knowing an inkling of the warning flags that just flew up in my mind right now.

"Get to know each other!" she prompted. She patted me on the shoulder again, this time playfully as if she was intentionally leading me into this path of doom, and turned around to greet some of her new guests. I stared up at Troy as the amusement in his eyes grew brighter. He opened his mouth to say something, darting out his tongue to wet his lips and then said:

"Damn, Gabriella. You look like you've just been caught by the _police_"

_"Hatred is blind, as well as love"_  
>~Oscar Wilde<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, this story got a really amazing response. I hope you guys stick with me! **

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

"What the _fuck _are you doing here?" I whispered harshly. Troy's eyebrows jumped at my word choice; I was surprised too. I don't use profane words. Ever- at least not in Albuquerque. I could see Troy's eyes flutter over my body. I crossed my arms. The fire of anger inside me turned yellow for insecurity.

"Wow, where has this Gabriella been all my life?" he didn't make eye contact. I waited a second but Troy didn't come back up. I huffed and rolled my eyes at what he said then.

I noticed Troy while he studied me. I feel like to say that someone was the King of High School is the worst way to address someone. Monarchy, in the United States at least, was never born. But Troy- there's no other way to address someone like him. You can't say president because there is already a Class president. And, what other ways are there to address someone who basically dictates everything that goes on at school? Even without the name, this was Troy Bolton in a corner of the world. Worse yet, he was in _my_ corner of the world. Mine. The one place I go to get away Albuquerque except the embodiment of it just followed me back up to haunt me.

I fade out of my thoughts and realize he's still staring at my body. Flustered, I walk up and with a finger I bring his chin up for his eyes to meet mine.

"You didn't answer my question" I remind him. "I saw you last night at Sharpay's party-"I stopped, realizing that he wasn't supposed to know that I saw him. I bit my lip.

"That was some trick you pulled last night, huh?" he smirked maliciously and I hated every inch of his gorgeous face.

I squinted my eyes slightly, my eyebrows furrowing and held in a storm of anger inside me. "Just forget it, Troy" I sighed. I turned with, holding my arms to my chest again and walked towards the entrance of the Caton's backyard. I didn't want to be around Troy. Hell, I didn't want a summer around Troy; that was why I came to Morton.

"Gabriella, wait!" Troy called behind me. I didn't know what he wanted from me but if it was another demeaning comment I didn't want to hear it. I kept walking, pushing the fence gate out and leaving the party. The bustle of the party was behind me in a matter of moments as I began walking back the road to my own home.

"Come on, Gabriella!" he was running after me. I had an itch to run for it. I didn't though, making it easier for Troy to catch up to me. He was sprinting his way up to me until just ten feet behind me when he started walking. He kept his pace.

"Why are you leaving the party so early? You know, my aunt won't exactly love you for that"

"Go away, Troy" I ignored his question. It should have been quite clear why I was leaving.

"Aw, come one, baby. Won't you give me a tour of your precious little town?"

"No" I stated firmly. "And don't call me baby"

"Why not, baby?" he added.

I rolled my eyes. This was the epitome of immature conversation. I didn't say anything for a while and I could still feel Troy's presence behind me.

When I reached the gravel of my own driveway, I said to him, "Alright, will you get lost on your way home or do you need me to give you directions?". I stepped up the short staircase to the doorway of my house and turned around.

He came up in front of me and stared down at me with that smirk of his still splattered on his face. I could feel his slow exhale on my face. When I moved backward, he moved forward. I could feel the mesh of the first door pressed against my back. My heart beat rapidly in my chest as he got closer. _Too close_ my mind warned.

"I was kinda hoping that I would get to hang out with you today, baby"

Troy leaned forward with a knowing look on his face and brushed his lips against mine. Alarms went off in my head. They seared higher as I felt his hands graze my sides. Immediately, I pushed his chest away using all my strength. He only budged away from my face.

"Get away from me you jerk" I seethed.

"What?" Troy said. "I thought-"

"What, that I _wanted_ you to kiss me? Yeah, that's right Troy. After all these years of constant torture, that's everything I wanted from you"

"I wouldn't call it torture" he was looking away.

"Really? I'm sorry- so what do you call the bruises left on my stomach when you pushed me down school steps a week ago, into the lockers or into the ground at lunch every single day"

"I never did that" Troy defended himself.

"Well, I wouldn't call standing there and letting your friends trample me much of a heroic gesture, jackass" I thrust my fists at his chest again, sending him down another step.

"I never touched you, Ella. What are you saying?"

This time I couldn't handle it anymore. A shot of adrenalin reached my brain and instantly, I press my palms against Troy and sent him down the stairs into the gravel. I followed him down, my eyes never leaving his.

"I'm saying you don't get to kiss me" I declared. "You can't just arrive at my house after everything you did the past three years and just expect me to forgive you" I scolded Troy ridiculously. His eyes were blank and I couldn't tell if it was because of me or because of his indifference toward my discourse.

"So just leave me alone, Troy. I don't want to see your face here. I don't even want to remember you are here"

With that, I turned and marched up the stairs again. I rushed inside and stood there for two seconds, recollecting myself. I was breathless and tears stung my eyes. My feet lead me towards the left into the hallway and then turned again into my room. Once the door closed behind me, I collapsed onto my bed. A tear fell onto my cheek and I wiped it away quickly. I hated myself for crying, for being upset. I didn't want to be sad. This was summer; the only time I have the whole year when I don't have any reason for depression.

I lifted myself off the bed again and gazed through the window. I could see the shadows of all the trees around my house growing darker from the sun setting behind the home. Troy still stood in my driveway, staring off at the ground. My eyes ran over him. He was wearing a black Wildcat sweatshirt from school and a pair of jeans. Just then, Troy didn't look like any tyrant of poor high schoolers. He was different. Standing in my driveway as the sun's orange rays lit his caramel hair and stunned his eyes, Troy looked completely alone. Then, I realized; this was Troy Bolton and he was 2,000 miles away from home. He _was _completely alone.

And I just told him to stay that way.

Over the next few hours, I couldn't believe that I felt guilty. I actually felt bad. For an hour, I lay in my bed struggling against these emotions but my thoughts kept insisting that Troy was just trying to look for someone he knew. Obviously, he didn't really know how to approach someone in a friendlier manner than straight up kissing them on the lips. But, shouldn't I have understood he simply had no idea how to make friends with someone? Couldn't I have made an effort to be nice to him? Maybe, if at the party I was far more agreeable than I was, would it have stopped him from resorting to kissing me? Maybe, we could've actually got along and just with one conversation, my life in Albuquerque would magically transform to the better.

Of course, by the end of the hour I fell asleep, the late night, early morning and uncomfortable flight seat all coming back to me in tiredness. I had a dream of Troy in a parallel universe where he was the ridiculed boy of the school and I was the queen of Morton High School who did the same to him as he did to me. When I woke, I felt worse than when I fell into slumber. My head ached, it was dark outside and my digital clock shone 11:46 pm in bright red. Looking around, I shook off the drowsiness and lifted the blankets, that I guess my grandmother wrapped around me when she came home from the party, and walked out of my room. It was slightly chilly in the house so I grabbed a thin woolen blanket to hang of my shoulders. I placed a pot on the stove and filled it with milk, determined to make myself a cup of hot chocolate My grandparents' lack of a microwave made me have to do this manually. However, it was done quicker than I thought.

As I sat on the sofa in the living room and drank the mug full of chocolate, my mind kept coming back to the dream. It was a horrible, horrible dream. There's nothing worse than a person who, after the entire struggle they've been through, comes out and does the same thing to the person that hurt them. The ability to forgive is probably the most dignified virtue that anyone could do. And, I frowned at the fact that I couldn't do it.

I couldn't bring myself to forgive Troy for what he did, for destroying the four years of my life that were supposed to be the best. Some people won't blame me. Most people won't say it necessary to move on and not hold grudge against people. Revenge is merely human. But, there is a part of me that doesn't want to be human in that sense. I don't want to wallow myself up in self-pity. I want the strength to move on and detach myself from the past, the people of past and be open to change.

Once I downed my hot drink, I travelled back into the thick blankets of my room and opened my laptop. I did some seamless browsing for a while but ending up falling back to sleep, completely unsatisfied by what my first day in Morton brought me.

That morning I woke up around nine. The sun was hiding behind thin clouds, as it did a lot of the time in Washington, but nonetheless, it still felt like summer. Birds chirped, as cliché as it is, by my window and my grandma apparently came into my room and again to open the shades so the rays of occasional sunshine could fall in beautifully.

I lay there without any plans of the day a head of. This was probably the best thing about summer: being able to lay in bed in the morning, no matter what time, and have the whole day in front of you with endless possibilities of what could happen. I tried not to think about the previous night with Troy and my dream, that was now too hazy to recall, but those ideas were impossible to hide away. I took my time getting out of bed and getting ready. Once I was out of the bathroom, a certain dark skinned girl kept me distracted from more thoughts of Troy. Taylor and her father were back in town today.

Taylor's house was walking distance from mine. I could've taken the truck from my house to hers in order to lessen the wait time but I didn't mind being stopped by people who recognized me from the year before. Mrs Gladys came out from her sweet shop to tell me, yet again, how much I've grown. Mr Gladys came from behind her store with a greasy towel in his hand and agreed with her. And like that, plenty of other people welcomed me back to Morton once again.

Twenty minutes later, I arrived at a worn down, two-story white house. As I climbed the steps to the front door, the second step creaked and I felt like nothing has changed once again. I knocked on the door twice.

It took a while for Mr Mckessie to open his door. He was a tall elderly man who looked even more weak than I saw him last. He was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and the sickness has grown rapidly since then. Taylor has been taking her father to Seattle where he can get proper medicine. She and her father make the trip every two weeks and that's where she just back from.

"Gabriella" he beamed at me. "Has it really been a year already?" he said. He let me come inside and took me into his arms.

"Rob" I say, knowing if I regarded him as 'Mister', he would go on a tantrum. "How are you" I ask from sister his chest. He smelled like peppermint. It has been exactly two years since he quit smoking and ever since he has gotten in the habit of chewing on round minty disks of candy. Taylor and I agree that this addiction is definitely better than cigarettes. His breath was cool.

"Doing well, sweetheart. How's that father of yours?" he asked. The only time Noah came to Morton was when I was 11 and my mother just passed away. He came here to basically drop me off with my parents and in the three days that Noah was here, Rob and he became good friends. I wouldn't know if they were still in touch but for what it's worth, Rob Mckessie was the only person to ever call Noah my father.

I looked around for Taylor and he noticed. "She's upstairs. Taylor!" he tried to call for his daughter but he ended up coughing horribly.

I rubbed his back, "Take is easy. I'll go upstairs"

I did. I called out to my best friend while taking the steps two at a time.

"Tay?" I walked past two rooms of Taylor's sisters who were off in college. Taylor is last to graduate, next year like me. She hasn't told me about how college is going to work for her with her father being sick and all. At the moment, I think she's got a lot more on her mind.

"Gabi?" I heard from the last room on the right. This door was shorter than anyone's room and thinner because it was the door to the only restroom in the house. I heard a forceful hustle.

"Are you okay?" I asked, pressing my fingers against the door. It immediately opened.

"Hey!" Her arms were around me before I could see her face. She sniffed. Was she crying? When she pulled back, her eyes were red shot and begging me not to bring it up. I didn't. I figured if she wanted to talk about it, it would happen soon.

"How are you?" she asked and I shrugged.

"Good, I guess" I say and she nods her head back downstairs. Fifteen seconds later, we slowly walked down the steps of her porch. A strikingly blue Porsche smoothly drove past us. No one in Morton owned a car like that unless you count the occasional passer-by. That is, until I saw the driver of the car and he winked at me menacingly. I huffed.

"Who's that?" I squinted at Taylor for what she said. I bit my lip, wondering if I should tell her about Troy. But, obviously I couldn't help myself.

An hour later, we were in the woods and Troy was still the topic discussion.

"I'm sure he's not that bad" Taylor said finally. I furrowed my eyebrows and stopped her, stepping in front her body on a round, grey rock. I lifted up my shirt just to show my stomach.

"Holy!" her words were muffled up by her hands as she gaped at the purple stains on my stomach. "He did that?"

"Not exactly, not him. He's kinda like the leader though..." my voice drifted away as I looked down at those large bruises on my abdomen. I didn't say anything else as we both looked at them. For a moment, I felt like a bitch that just wanted attention with my shirt lifted up in the middle of the woods, trying to gain some sympathy from my friend.

"Gabi, shouldn't you tell someone?" she gasped.

I sighed and folded my shirt down clean. Like I haven't thought of this before. It was all in my head for about two years now; how the drama would play out. I would end up telling the vice principal of my school on, I don't know, a cold day in November. She would tell me it was going to be okay. The next thing I know is that it's all over the news about how Troy and his friends would spend the rest of their senior year in juvy. I would be victim in school and all eyes would be on me until I graduate. Then, fast forward six years in my life, I'm a lawyer and looking down at newspaper showing those four boys that ruined my life who were caught drug smuggling or something. They would remember me as the girl that ruined their lives and I would remember them as the boys that destroyed high school for me, that wasn't supposed to be that great anyway. All in all, mission redemption was a no-go.

"What's the point Tay? Aren't we just going to graduate in a year?"

"This is bullying. Violence!" she accused.

"Shh!" I hushed her, looking around dramatically as if someone was there to listen.

"But, Gabi..." she hesitated.

"Tay, stop that. I really don't want to think about school or that jackass, Troy. I just want to have my summer"

I looked at her chidingly. Taylor owed me. I gave her the tears at her house so she can ignore the fact that I've been bullied for the past three years.

But like her tears, we knew that it would come up again soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

**Again, thanks for the amazing response! I'm really glad that you guys like this story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical...**

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><p>Remember when I said that I felt bad for putting down Troy the first day I was here? I take it back. I take back every mellow comment I ever thought about Troy. It's official: he's a jackass. Worse than a jackass. What's worse than a jackass? I don't know - all I know is that I'm appalled, disgusted. I can't believe I ever felt one ounce of guilt for shoving him off my porch a week ago. I remember the face he put on when he stared off blankly after I told him that I didn't want to see him in Morton and I wonder how I ever thought that it was genuine loneliness. I wonder what actually made me feel bad. I don't want to feel bad. I hate it. For the past week, I've hated myself every night when I go to bed thinking I might have been too harsh that day. Now, I hate myself for hating myself. And, here's why:<p>

Over the past week, Troy Bolton has proved that he is a heartless bastard. He has made his way around every respectable girl in town and turned them into one of his blind followers. I can't believe it. My Morton. My own Morton has fallen into the hands of the devil. Even some of the moms are distracted by him.

I thought I made it clear to him that I didn't want to see him here. For just three months couldn't he have just left me alone to my heaven instead of corrupting it with his filthy presence?

Thank god at least Taylor hasn't turned over to the _other _side. That's because she knows what he's done to me the past few years. It was like Taylor and I were sitting back and watching every girl be hypnotized by him like in a magic show. The only thing missing was the popcorn.

It's raining this morning. There's a gutter right outside my window that must be broken or something from my grandpa's last painting job of the house because I can hear the rain rushing through it so loudly. I turn over in my bed try to ignore the rain outside and go back to sleep but I can't. It's slowly growing annoying. My mind flashes from Troy to the rain and I inwardly groan.

I uncover the thick blankets off of me and I'm immediately met with the cold of my room. Just a week ago, I was listening to birds chirping. That's Washington for you. By now, I'm desperate to get away from that guttural noise because it's driving me crazy. I swiftly open the door to my bedroom and step into the hallway. It's warmer out here. My grandmother has turned on the fire in the living room and I can smell the bacon on the frying pan. Grandpa is reading Seattle Times on the dining table. They're the perfect image of an elderly couple. Before entering the bathroom, I admire them lovingly.

Inside, I wash my face and brush my teeth. I'm in the kitchen again in no time. My grandparents wish me a good morning, which is pretty pointless because with a morning full of weighing how much I hate Troy, the stupid rain and the broken gutter outside my window, I'm off to a pretty bad start. I had a worse feeling about today.

My grandmother places a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me and her husband.

"Ay, your grandmother is going to make me fat" says Grandpa to me with a twinkle in his eye. He looks up at Grandma while her cheeks go rosy.

"Breakfast is the only thing that you let me cook, mi amor. You can make the most gourmet meals but I'll be the one serving you fresh kisses and waffles in the morning" she replies back to him. His tan hand reaches around her and they kiss. It's long and by the end, my Grandma is on his lap. If we were in a movie theater about now, the whole audience would be looking away awkwardly.

Me, on the other hand, wince and say, "Ew. Papi, get a room!" I look down at my plate and turn the eggs over with a fork.

"Mija, you'll know when your old; this is all you get!" says my grandmother. She gives him another kiss on the lips and leaves to the stove again. My grandfather chuckles and begins devouring his breakfast. I do too, erasing the image of my grandparents from my head.

After I finish and place my plate in the sink, my grandmother tells me, "Mija, I have to go grocery shopping later, do you want anything?".

I don't really want to think about it so I say, "I'm okay".

"Alright" she says. "Do you mind, then, dropping this dish off at the Caton's?"

I hesitate, remembering that the Caton residence is where Troy lives now. "Please, mija. I'll really appreciate it"

I lick my lips and accept, "Fine". It's hard when someone about fifty years older than you starts to plead sweetly. I take the clean casserole dish in my hands and make for the wall beside the doorway where the truck's keys are hanging by a nail.

"Wear a jacket! Tell her I thought the casserole was delicious!" Grandma calls after me. Before leaving, I change into a white top and a pair of jeans. I slip into my boots and jacket and zip it up fully then put the hood over my head. I was in no mood to have one drop of rain fall on me. After bundling up, I make my way out of the house. My hands are already cold and wet, holding the dish in front of me carefully so it doesn't slip. That would be a bad way to give a borrowed item back: broken.

I have to tug extra hard for the truck's door to open and slip inside. The leather seats instantly become damp. The truck roars to life once I key the ignition. I turn the heater on immediately and the truck fills up at first with fragrance that smells like old furniture. It clears out and by the time I'm out of my driveway, the truck begins to heat up.

It literally takes me three minutes to drive over to the Caton's house. It was a definite waste of gas but worth it because I was fully dry by the time I got there. Too bad I needed to step out in order to successfully give the dish. I duck my head under my hood again, grab the dish from the passenger seat and hop down from my truck.

I'm too concerned about not getting wet that I stare at the ground and don't bother looking up to see if I'm going the right way. I've been here thousands of times though. Then suddenly, _bam! _The dish was knocked out my hands and I staggered back five feet.

"Shit" I swear under my breath and anticipate a broken casserole dish when refocus my attention to it. Instead, it's caught just before it hits the ground. I look up, wondering who just saved me from apologizing endlessly to Lorrie Caton for breaking dish. It's probably her favorite dish took seeing as my damn luck won't make that situation any better.

Lo and behold, it's Troy. Of course. Those striking blue eyes find mine with that same playful look. I'm reminded of how much I hate him instantly. I don't stop to thank him. I just take the dish from his hands and shove past him towards the door after giving him a deathly look.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you!" he yells to me as I march by him.

"Screw you!" I retort, immediately regretting it. _Screw you? _I repeat in my head. Honestly, I feel like I could've thought of something better than that. Something mildly more vulgar, perhaps.

I knock on their door twice. No answer. Impatiently, I try the knob and it's open. It doesn't take much strength for it to swing. I enter their house and in its silent. But not an 'empty home' silence. It is the silence that comes in horror movies right before the murderer strikes. I think back to what Troy told me before I embarrassed myself in front him. _I wouldn't go in there if I were you_. Why would he say that?

Then I hear them. It's muffled and probably behind a door somewhere but it's clear enough for me to know what's going on. Way. Too. Clear.

"Harder!" I hear. "Faster! Oh god!"

"Fuck!"

"Ah!"

My ears! My poor ears! At once, I panic. I find the nearest table for me to place the dish on and I bolt out of the house. This time, I don't care if my head gets wet. I just keep running until I'm back in the safety of my truck. I stare at the steering wheel, wide eyed, undoubtedly scarred for my life and breathless. God, twice in the same month I have gone through this. I just know that somewhere Troy Bolton is laughing his ass off. I'm tempted to look around and see if he's watching me right now but I stop myself, knowing that would just make me look dumber. I picture him laughing mindlessly until his face goes red and he has to try hard to catch his breath with strained wheezes. And then, I don't know if it's the image in my head of Troy guffawing or the fact that I actually think what just happened is hilarious, but I start laughing too. It starts as a giggle. Then I can't stop. I keel over the steering wheel and the euphoria fills my head. Tears rush to my eyes and soon my lungs begin to shrivel in need of oxygen.

The whole way home, I'm bursting out every time I remember the panic that went through me the moment I heard Mr. and Mrs. Caton. I couldn't even get out of the truck once I reach home. I decide to rush to Taylor's house and tell her the whole thing in person. Calling her won't do. I want to see her face when I tell her.

This trip doesn't take that long either but that's because I'm speeding slightly. I can't hold a straight face. When I arrive on the porch, I ring the doorbell. I stuff my hands in pockets of my jacket and grin ridiculously at the mesh door. The door behind it opens in time and Rob appears at the door way. Once he sees me, his face doesn't reflect mine. The joy that appears on his face every time Rob sees me doesn't shine in his eyes. I stand there looking like an idiot before I comprehend that something is wrong. The seriousness on his face is certainly not normal for always cheerful Rob.

"Hi, Rob" I greet cautiously. "Is Tay here?" I look passed him and I see her brown eyes peeking behind the wall that hides the stairwell behind it. He turns his head and catches Taylor's eyes. She shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. It's not the best time" says Robs. He shuts the door and leaves me standing there in a faceoff with the door. I'm the first to look away.

The nervous look in Taylor's eyes flashes in my head. Not the best time? I'm Taylor's best friend. There's no such thing as 'best time' for me. I'm always supposed to be there. The curiosity overwhelms me and I ditch the pathway to my truck and work my way around Taylor's house, over the soggy wooden fence and into her backyard. There are gigantic plants growing everywhere. It was clear that the past two years, Rob wasn't in the right health to tend to his yard. Weeds infested the area behind her eyes and god knows what else. I made my way through it because I was determined to know what was going on with Taylor whether or not she wanted to tell me.

Thankfully, there's a ladder up to Taylor's window. I climbed up, holding on tight to every single hinge because it's still raining the bars were very slippery.

"Tay!" I called out. I made it to her window and my arms were already tired. I hear a shuffling inside. The light was on but the curtain to her window was blocking me from seeing her. I knocked on the window.

"Gabi?" she was close, I could hear it. In a matter of moments, the window open I was able to scramble inside. I landed hands first on her ground, staining her carpet with the water dripping off my hair.

"Tay, what's going on? Why didn't you let me in?" I ask.

"Gabi.." she hesitated. I gotta say, this hurt. We were best friends since sixth grade and she can't tell me what's going on? I decide to tell her this, minus the fact that it was slightly offensive.

"Tay, come on. We've been friends since sixth grade. I think I can handle a secret"

"It's not you" said Tay.

This was beginning to feel a lot like a break up. "What? It's you?" I guess.

She sighs. "You're not making this any easier" she tells me quietly now. I stop and take a deep breath. Maybe I was being a bit harsh. A pang of guilt washes over me in our moment of silence. She sits on her bed and stares at her hands.

"Sorry" I apologize and sit next to her. "Seriously, Tay, you can tell me whatever you want. I'm here for you no matter what". She bites her lip and I see water appearing in her eyes.

There's a longer moment of silence. I wait, my patience was restored now that I stopped thinking too selfishly. The tears start to roll down her face and I move to wipe them away.

"Come on" I say encouragingly and wrap my arms around her in an embrace. She puts her head on my shoulder and sniffles. "It's okay"

"I'm pregnant" she says abruptly.

At first, it's like I never heard what she said. I stare at the fairly large sized poster of Josh Hutcherson on her wall and wonder why she likes him. I think to myself that he's grown up in the past couple years and got increasingly attractive so maybe that's why. He played the cute, innocent kid in an R-rated movie and is playing a character from one of my favorite books, so that's always a plus. Come to think of it, he's not that bad at all.

And then, finally, it hits me. I feel stupid after it takes so long for it register in my head.

"Pregnant?" I whisper. She pulls back and her sad eyes meet mine. She nods. I swallow.

"What-" I clear my throat. "What are you going to do now?"

She pauses at this. I have a feeling she hasn't thought about her options. Maybe she has, though. Maybe she's just wondering why I haven't figured out what she's most likely to do now.

"I guess, I-I'm having a baby" she tells me. I have to look away for a second, back at Josh Hutcherson on the wall. He's looking at me like I'm the worst friend ever. Aren't I supposed to make this less hard for her? Make her comfortable? Then, I remember something else.

"So, um. Who's the guy?" I hope this works. If it's just some guy she hooked up with at a bar and I just reminded her of that night she made a stupid mistake, I wonder how Josh would look at me then.

But, it looks like I hit the right point because Taylor's face literally lightens up.

"Oh! His name is Chad" she says. "Chad Danforth. And he's a freshman at the University of Washington in Seattle. He volunteers at the hospital that Dad goes to. He's going to be here in a week. You're going to love him Gabriella!"

I nod my head and look at her. She begins telling me about Chad. I tune in and out of what she says. She seems so happy and well-off with Chad, like they were a married couple. My thoughts started drifting. Is that what would happen now? Would I lose my best friend to a baby and the dude that knocked her up? The fear built up in my heart as Taylor showed me pictures of them. It seemed Chad had shown Taylor and Rob all around Seattle. Even Rob came to like the boy, or so Taylor thought. The whole time I was in panic mode. Every time she showed me a picture of just the two of them, my heart beat rapidly in my chest and I bit my lip to stop me from showing it.

I stayed there for the rest of the day. Rob came up an hour after I climbed up to Taylor's room and smiled at me like I expected him to do when he first saw me at the door.

"I knew you'd find your way up here" he told me and then invited both of us down for coffee and a treat. He had baked cookies. They told me about what they started to do for the baby that's coming. The diet that she would have to go on, the doctor's visit that she was going to go to regularly, how big she's going to get.

17, I remember. We're seventeen. But as I sat in Rob's kitchen drinking coffee and the rain still poured on outside, I felt about ten years ahead of us. They seemed happy. What was she going to do when school starts? What will Chad do when his baby was born? Will she move to Seattle? I didn't know why they weren't completely scared like I was. Was I the only one losing something in this situation?

I left Taylor's house with a fake smile on my face. I was terrified though. I drove home without the heater or the radio, just in my own eating silence. Instead of going inside once I got home, I climb to the top of the roof of my own home. The rain's still pouring and I stopped caring about getting wet. My hairs soaking wet, I can't feel my face and inside, I feel like hell.

Everything was changing. The one place I depended on to never change was slipping out from underneath me. It's not Morton itself that I love so much, it's the people in it and I just can't afford to lose them. They were my everything. Still, my grandparents are getting older and now, my best friend is pregnant.

Furthermore, this whole day everyone seemed completely satisfied: my grandparents this morning, Taylor, Chad and their coming baby and even my unfortunate confrontation with the Catons. Everyone was in bliss. Settled. Was I the only one struggling to stay glad just for a day? As I sat there on the roof with my head on my knees and the skies washed down on me, I couldn't help but feel; where was my happy ending?


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, all! I wanted to update even though it's very, very short (not that my chapters are so long anyway) I hope you guys enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical**

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><p><em>This dream is familiar. Not like I've had it before but because I've probably seen it countless times in the movies. Or ,just in the past month, walked into it innocently. <em>

_Heat is all I can feel. I don't know if it's the good kind of heat, like after a really cold day you're cozying up by the fire or the bad kind, when you're about to burn your face off and die. But, it's hot. Very hot. A flush of it runs through me and I gasp. There's a layer of giddiness fogging up my brain. _

_And then, something is on my lips. Gently sucking. It feels good. Really good. So good that I want more. The sensation moves across my jaw and then down my neck. I can feel my mouth drop open, taking in the feeling and my eyes roll back into my head. The muscles in my neck are roaring in pleasure. At last, it reaches the crevice of my neck right above a knot on my shoulder. The massaging caress stops abruptly and a sharp squeeze replaces it just on the knot. Immediately, it's as if the fog in my brain condensed into a giant ocean and a tsunami was occurring. _

_Before I could stop myself, I become aware of my mouth and I hear myself cry, "Oh!". _

_Instinctively, my fingers grasp for the closest object as waves of heat flood me. I find one right beneath their tips. It's soft, smooth and molds easily to my touch. Then, another realm of this fantasy opens itself up to me. This is skin! _

_At once, I'm aware of my body. In a brief moment, I figure: I'm completely bare. Someone is on top of me. They are naked too. I realize that the sensation on my neck and shoulder was not just any feeling; it was the someone's lips. One by one, the waves start to ripple away and I can feel myself becoming more and more conscious of my surroundings. The scorching heat is the last that remains and I remember, at last, that I am dreaming._

_Flashes keep appearing behind my eyes as if to signal the brink of my sleep. I fight through them. Thousands of images fly past my brain but I only could grasp the very last one. A pair of strikingly blue eyes. _

My eyelids flutter open. I can still feel the heat waves running through my body. But, this is the bad kind. Definitely the bad kind. I can barely move. I know I just woke up but I felt tired as hell. My chest was heaving painfully, too. I look around with just my eyes and then, slowly turn my head to the right. _Ugh_ is all I can think. Then, the last 10 hours hits me although, I only remember the beginning.

I can recall the rain, the roof and Taylor's baby. I can feel the damp spot on my pillow where my hair was dripping but my clothes are dry. I can't remember how I got here at all.

A wet cloth reaches my forehead and I sigh, turning my head in towards the bed. My grandmother is sitting there with a sympathetic look on her face.

"Ay, mija" she coos. "You're burning up"

I remember my mother in her eyes. How she always used to say that same phrase whenever I used to get sick. It's been awhile since I've felt this horrible but so protected in the arms of someone who loves me. At home, on the rare case that I do get sick, I have to pull through it. Then again, it's never been this bad.

"Didn't anyone tell you that sleeping in the rain will give you pneumonia, missy?" she asks. Yeah, someone did unfortunately. That was Mrs. Gladys' last words to me before I left to come here. A small voice went off in my brain: _check_. Now, all I have to do is get a sun burn.

_Pneumonia_ echoed through my brain. So I wasn't dying. Sure felt like it though. I don't want to think anymore or attempt to go through a full conversation. I close my eyes and rest my body, letting the heat engulf me.

"Oh, no puedes, chica" my grandmother stops me. I blink my eyes open again. "You have to eat something before you go to sleep again. Otherwise, how is your body going to heal?"

Grandma puts both of her hands on my waist and tugs me up until I'm leaning my back on the bed's headboard. She puts a pillow behind my back. Her cold hands are refreshing.

"Your Papi has made chicken soup for you. I'll go warm it up for you, okay? Sit tight and don't fall back to sleep" she orders and then climbs over me to leave the room. I have to take a deep, refreshing breath to carry out her demands.

I shrug off the layers of blankets on me but a few moments later, I begin shivering relentlessly so I have to pull them up. My mind is again in a fog, but not like the one in the dream. Like I'm really sick and I can't stay awake.

My eyes fall on my doorway and I see that my grandmother has left it open just a tad. I can see someone sitting on the couch in the living room from here but I have to focus my eyes for a while before I can comprehend who it is. My grandmother blocks the door way when she enters and suddenly, it hits me. It's Troy.

When she sits down in front of my bed, I have to strain my neck over her shoulder so that I can confirm my eyes. The caramel skin tone and brown hair are undeniably his. It looks like he's snoozing because his head is bent down completely even though he's sitting upright. His long hairs hangs freely to cover is eyes.

In front of me, my grandmother follows my eyes. She smiles widely.

"You owe your life to that boy" she tells me. I meet her eyes at once.

"Hmm?" I manage. She's putting a tray on my lap and laying a napkin across my chest while she explains.

"You don't remember, do you dear? He's the one that got you down from that roof top!" she exclaimed. For a moment, I forget all the fatigue in my bones and rack my brain for some sort of memory of this. I can't.

"Your Papi and I were worried sick. When we called Rob's house, he said that you left about an hour ago. We called the Catons ,too, to see if you went there. We called every house you might've gone to. But it was Troy who showed up at the doorstep with you in his arms" I'm almost choking on my soup as she tells me this. "The poor boy was drenched when he came in, not like you weren't of course but, he stayed here all through Dr. Colton's visit and only left when the doctor said that you'd be fine"

"Such a sweet boy" my grandmother finished. And, I'm dumbfounded. I look back, beyond my grandmother to the knocked out, muscular teenage boy on the sofa. Troy brought me back down? He's the one that stopped me from probably dying? Troy. Troy?

"What's he doing back here?" I say. It must be the soup that's given me the energy to talk.

"He came back about an hour ago; said that he wanted to see you" she explained. "I told him that you were still asleep but he insisted that he didn't mind the wait"

Now, I was even more awe-struck. First, he saves me. Then, he wants to talk to me? This couldn't be Troy. Not the one that I know, at least.

"Do you want me to wake him up?" asked my grandmother.

"No" I say too quickly. She is startled. "I mean, let him sleep" I cover.

"Alright" she lifts herself off the chair. "Eat up" she says before leaving the door and this time closing it fully.

I slurp up the remains of the soup and lick my lips too when it's done. All the while, I can't think of anything but Troy.

Why would he bring me back down? Furthermore, what does he want to talk to me about? I wasn't too sure if I wanted to talk to him, either way. Maybe it was just to say something completely nasty. Or a quick, "Don't climb up on roofs anymore".

I lay down on my bed again after carefully placing the soup bowl and the tray on the ground and force myself back to sleep. I am determined to postpone this confrontation for however long it takes.

* * *

><p>This time, I wake up from a dreamless sleep to a knock on my door. My first thought is that it's Troy. But the soft "Gabi" is Taylor's voice. I let her enter. As I sit up, struggling past my weak body I try to glance past Taylor to see if Troy was still on the couch. It didn't look like it. I was relieved for only a second but then Taylor greets me with something else.<p>

"What's Troy doing here?"

I can't muster up the energy to groan or roll my eyes. Instead I just say, "Oh, you didn't hear? He's my hero now"

Taylor laughs. Only she would know the real sarcasm behind what I just say. I wonder if my grandma is in earshot. If she is, I'll be getting it later on for not being thankful enough towards Troy.

Taylor approaches me now and puts the back of her hand on my forehead. It's cold and I love the feeling but I don't like that it's Taylor doing this.

"You're not a mother yet, Tay" I say, annoyed and shaking my head away. In response to what I just said, she flicks my forehead with her fingers.

"On the roof in the pouring rain?" she starts to scold. "What the hell were you thinking, Gabi? You aren't in a romantic comedy!"

I don't laugh even though what she said really fits. Sitting up there with the rain washing me down; yeah, I was being a bit dramatic. Okay, over-the-top dramatic. Like Sharpay. I have to grimace at the thought.

Taylor pauses before saying, "What's wrong, Gabi?". I look up.

I pretend like I don't know what she's talking about. "What?" I say.

"You aren't the type that sits in the rain and waits for your hero to come rescue you. If you do then there's something seriously wrong. And, all I know is that you climbed up there right after leaving my house" explains Taylor. Now, I regret ever feigning my innocence. This was Taylor: the genius of psycho-emotional analysis.

I exhale slowly and wonder if my expected chat with Troy would have been worse than this. What am I supposed to say? That I was actually jealous of her and her boyfriend? That I thought I was losing my best friend to her boyfriend?

I pick a different route. Something way more subtle. "What are you going to do next year?" I asked. This question was the first that was itching me.

"Senior year?" she asked what I was referring to. I nodded. She glanced up at me, more seriously now. "I have enough credits for graduation" she tells me. "And, Chad told me that with my grades and SAT scores I can get a spot at University of Washington in Seattle with him for the fall quarter"

I look away, understanding what she meant. "When are you going to send the application?" I ask.

She bites her lip. "I already…" she starts but then fades away.

"And, you didn't think it was important for me to know?"

"I'm sorry, Gabi. I just..Chad was so enthusiastic toward the idea and I went along with it before I could tell you. He said that they would only accept a few and the earlier I sent it, the better"

"But you didn't even tell me!" I cry.

"I didn't know how you would take it!" she defended.

At this, I stop. Obviously, I was just proving her right for keeping it a secret from me by yelling. Plus, now the pneumonia is catching up to me and I'm breathless.

"Then, what?" I say softly.

"I..I don't know. We just have to see, I guess" replies Taylor. I huff and don't say anything for a while.

"Sorry" I say pathetically after a long silence. "I just..thought it was going to be you and me after high school"

As I say this, I can hear how completely idiotic it sounds. Taylor sighs. "Gabi, we're always going to friends" she tells me. It soothes me a little but not enough.

"I'm always here for you" she tells me. I remember my mother again. She used to come to my room every night and get into the sheets with me until I fell asleep. I think she knew that after she married Noah, I had been butted out of the picture. I guess, those nights were what held me together all those years. Now, I only have the memories.

"I know" I say. I scoot myself down into the bed sheets again and close my eyes. I'm tired again and I can't take any more painful reminders that my world is changing. Taylor begins to make a move towards the door when she sees I'm trying to make an effort to go to sleep.

Before she leaves, I have to say, "This Chad dude better be worth it". Her laugh is the last I remember.

* * *

><p>When I wake up again, I am reminded that there's one more person who wants to talk to me. I don't know if I can take it.<p>

"Damn, Montez. You sure do sleep a lot" his voice is lively and playful. I remember my dream from earlier in the morning. It's hard to recall everything. Of course, those vivid flushes coursing through my body are sensations I will never forget. And those azure eyes. There's no mistake they were Troy's but what was he doing in my dream? I've never thought about him that way. I've heard girls at school, though; who fantasize about the day Troy gives up his player character and makes sweet, sweet love to them for the rest of their lives. In my head, I've always been too intimidated by his friends to think of him in that way. He was always the leader of the pack. With just one move, he can have his friends torture me every day. What always hurt the most was that with a similar move, he can make them leave me alone forever.

I cough to distract myself from thoughts of the dream I had. "Pneumonia" I answer. "I heard it does that to you" it seems like a decent reply but I say it coldly.

"Your friend- Taylor's her name?- she left" informs Troy.

"I know" I say. My eyes adjust to the yellow light of the room. It seems like it's already dark outside. Did I just sleep for an entire day?

"It sounded pretty intense from outside" I could tell Troy was really making an effort to make conversation. I didn't give a damn. Even if he saved my life, I wasn't going to try to be nice to him. I lift myself up again into a sitting position and then take the glass full of clear water that my grandmother has kept on my side table. I gulp it down.

"It didn't seem like you were giving her much of a chance" he continues.

"Oh, yeah? And you know a lot about giving chances?" I know I've hit a spot because he glances away, taken aback His face right then makes me want to cringe. It's that same lonely face that I saw the first day he was here and it's literally killing me. I immediately want to take back what I said but his face is too stunned and painful for me to fix up. After a few seconds, I'm seriously worried because by now, I would've guessed that Troy might think of a dirty comment and change the subject but he hasn't. His eyes are wide and he's staring at my stomach. I look down at it and my heart gives out a pounding thud.

My tank top was lifted up, revealing the stained skin underneath. Conveniently, there's a purple blotch right on my pelvic bone for Troy to gawk at. I gasp and quickly pull down my shirt. Instantly, there's just my pink tank top to see but he's still staring.

"I..I guess I should go" Troy hesitates before excusing himself. In swift movements, I'm alone again.

No, scratch that. I'm not alone. There's Guilt. A flood of questions repeat in my brain. First, it's: was what Troy said about Taylor and I true? Was I not giving her a chance? Maybe I wasn't. I was being so selfish and ignorant all day yesterday and you could even say that my passing out on the roof and in the rain was just an act for attention. I was only thinking about how my whole life was changing and never once did I think that Taylor was drastically turning around too. This wasn't a part of anyone's plan. I just made it worse for her.

But, was I the only one at blame? Is it so wrong for me to just want some things for myself here in Morton? I'm bullied back at home. I'm practically no one. Here, I'm not the most important person, but at least I have people to love and people who love me.

Then, it hits me.

I can't just wait around for Troy or his friends to take the blame for my life going so horribly wrong. I don't know Troy. I don't know why he acts one way with me in Morton, one way with me in Albuquerque and another way around everyone else. I don't know why he seems determined to ruin my life. Hell, I can only guess what his favorite color is. Waiting around for someone you don't know is pathetic. You can't know for sure if they're going to come around and when they don't show up, half your life has gone to waste.

What I do know is who I am and what I love. I know that Taylor is going to always be there for me, baby and boyfriend or not. My grandparents have lived a happy life and I can't stop them from moving on. I love the sunsets over the acres of hilly plains. The rain. The trees. The friends. I know that my summers are my time in paradise. And, not even the devil can take them away from me.

* * *

><p><strong>This is more of a transition chapter. I hope it didn't suck too much! Thank you for all your support! <strong>


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